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Driving Home for Christmas: Win a Garmin Sat Nav!

Whenever I think of heading home for Christmas – with the icy roads, inevitable delays and angry drivers and passengers – I think of the late, great John Candy in Trains, Planes and Automobiles. I know that was Thanksgiving, but the principle’s the same; namely, that making that journey can be treacherous, require great ingenuity and a level of calm that a Buddhist monk would train for years to achieve.

And – looking at the weather predicted for this Christmas – there could be a few people struggling to make it home on time. That’s why Savoo has teamed up with Halfords to offer one lucky winner a Garmin Sat Nav worth £129.99. This top of the range sat nav might not be much use to those taking public transport, but if you’re planning on driving then it could help you avoid the traffic, take the right route and – most importantly – stop you getting lost and starting the festive season off with a massive argument. Enter the competition on our Facebook page.

But when you are driving home in bad conditions, you should remember a few golden rules to ensure you get home safely:

Check your tyres to ensure they have enough grip. If you don’t know what to look for then just pop into a garage to get some advice, but the AA advices at least 3mm of tread.

Replace your windscreen wipers. Did you know they should – on average – be replaced every six months, so please check them as visibility is crucial

If you feel uncomfortable with the weather conditions, pull over for a while to see if they get better. As my old Gran used to say, “it’s better to be late than dead on time”.

Go slower; don’t go at a snail’s pace, but slow enough to make sure you have time to brake as stopping distances are ten times longer in snow and ice.

If it is icy or there’s snow, pull away in second gear to avoid wheel spin

Don’t drink and drive: it’s an obvious one, but even one drink can dumb down your senses.

Another obvious one, but make sure you have enough petrol. Your sat nav can only get you there with enough petrol in the tank

Have an emergency kit: make sure you have a blanket, shovel (if it’s snowing) and some supplies to keep you going if you do break down.

Tiredness: make sure you stop (somewhere safe) if you find yourself falling asleep. Have a coffee and keep the windows open to remain as alert as possible.

Leave plenty of time: try and set off at a time that you think the traffic won’t be as bad, but also leave plenty of time to ensure you don’t have to drive stressed and quickly.

Most importantly, make sure you have a great Christmas without any accidents. And good luck with the Halfords competition. If you don’t manage to win, you can always check the Halfords discount codes page on Savoo for some great voucher codes and deals.